A guide for first home buyers – before you buy your first home

Buying your first house is an exciting time – a step on the road to independence – but it can also be an overwhelming task especially if you don’t know much about the property market. Before you buy your first home, you should do some thorough research and get everything you need in place before you begin actively looking for houses.

Before you even look at houses start by doing some planning

Firstly think about the area in which you want to live

Do you need schools either now or in the near future

Do you need to be near public transport

Do you want to be near amenities

Then think about the type of house you want

Do you want a modern new build or an older house with a bit of character?

Do you want a small property or do you need a larger family home?

Do you want a property that is ready to go or are you happy to buy a doer-upper and do some DIY?

Make a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. If you are buying with a partner, family or friends discuss what you are willing to compromise on.

Finally think about your budget

Do you have a deposit ready to go? You will probably need at least 10% for a deposit upfront

Do you need to arrange a mortgage for the main bulk of your purchase? If so do some research into the types of mortgage available and what might be best for you. Before you buy your first home, you may be eligible for a grant like a Welcome Home Loan or be able to use part of your KiwiSaver.

Have you budgeted for extra expenses like property reports and legal fees

Can you afford an auction or do you want to look at fixed price properties?

You should also prepare for purchase before you start looking

Getting things in place before you seriously start looking at properties can help speed the process up when you do find the perfect first home. Buying can be daunting so before you buy your first home have people lined up to help you. Three key professionals who can provide good information for first home buyers are:

a bank, mortgage advisor or financial adviser

a lawyer

a property inspector

You might also like to talk to a real estate agent early on to get an idea of the local market.

While you don’t need to engage all of these people right away, planning will mean you are ready to go come sale time.

InnoHome can help you with pre-purchase inspections before you buy your first home